beautiful urns for ashes

Floral Urns: Beauty from the Ashes

June 30, 2018 Kim Stacey

Here at the end of June, I feel compelled to write about what surrounds me: flowers. Mother Nature is in full bloom and they beauty is stunning.

window box flowers

This conversation about floral urns is one of two “companion” posts. The other is The Language of Funeral Flowers.

Happy Hummingbird

I’m going to focus on just two of the urns with flowers in our collection of floral urns. They differ – not only in color, but also in significance and overall ‘feel’. The first, Urn Garden’s Happy Hummingbird Adult Urn for Ashes , has a classic elegance. There’s also a small version for use as a keepsake. Actually, we have several different styles of the small hummingbirds that can be used a memorial.

Mother of Pearl Hummingbird Adult Urn

Mother of pearl inlay hummingbird sipping from the flowers which, in our symbolic ‘language of flowers’, represent purity, perfection, and innocence. Dramatic midnight blue with shimming mother of pearl bird and flowers make for a stunning memorial for a man or woman.

You may remember this urn was featured in the post “DIY Memorials: How to Arrange Grocery Store Flowers” as an alternative to using fresh flowers (often only seasonally available) in a loved one’s memorial shrine. Read our “DIY Memorials: How to Make a Memorial Shrine” for more on that subject.

Ruby Rose Cremation Urn

Roses are the eternal symbol of love and they bring to mind the words of Lucy Maud Montgomery, from her well-loved book, Anne of Green Gables, “The rose is a flower of love. The world has acclaimed it for centuries. Pink roses are for love hopeful and expectant. White roses are for love dead or forsaken, but the red roses, ah the red roses are for love triumphant.”

Ruby Rose Urn for Ashes

Roses are, no matter the color, all about love. If you’re looking for an urn with flowers, but aren’t sure these are ‘quite right’ to memorialize your loved one, be sure to browse our floral urn collection. Or contact us directly for personal assistance.

Other posts regarding urn selections for June:

Roses for June Birthdays and Cremation Urns

Rose Cremation Urns, Endearing Symbols of Love

Beauty from the Ashes: White Cremation Urns

January 22, 2018 Kim Stacey

When Lenette chose ‘beauty from the ashes” as this year’s theme; I went prowling around the Internet looking for a great quotation to use in this introduction. Being the treasure trove it is, I found one – from The Road, by Cormac McCarthy (Source):

“All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one’s heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”

It took Lenette to tell me about the related Biblical verse (I’ve only read the Good Book once – about 50 years ago!) Here’s what she shared:

“To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified.” (Isaiah 61:3–King James 21)

With those words ringing in our ears (so to speak), let’s take a moment here in the midst of winter to talk about the beauty of white cremation urns. I chose urns of this color for a specific reason: a white urn would make an ideal component of a memorial shrine. These personal shrines were the focus last week: DIY Memorials: How to Make a Memorial Shrine.

Why white? According to Bourne Creative, white is an “inherently positive color…associated with purity, virginity, innocence, light, goodness, heaven, safety, brilliance, illumination, understanding, cleanliness, faith, beginnings, sterility, spirituality, possibility, humility, sincerity, protection, softness, and perfection.”

That’s quite a list of attributes–all of which are appropriate for our conversation about white cremation urns. One of my personal favorites here at Urn Garden is the White Pure Heart Urn. This is a medium size that can be used for humans or pets and works well for families that are dividing the ashes to share or scatter.

But there are other lovely white cremation urns which may be more suitable for the ashes of your loved one, such as the White Pearl Cremation Urn.

Let’s be honest: what I like doesn’t matter! If the idea of a white cremation urn appeals to you, be sure to check out the others in our Winter White Collection. Traditional vase shape, boxes, and even mini sizes that store a token amount of ashes are available in snow white.

One more thing…

I suppose the phrase “beauty from the ashes” could also call to mind the age-old myth of the stunningly beautiful Phoenix, rising from the ashes. You know the one – everyone does.

A large bird, known as a Phoenix, “gets new life by arising from the ashes of its predecessor. According to some sources, the phoenix dies in a show of flames and combustion, although there are other sources that claim that the legendary bird dies and simply decomposes before being born again.” (Source)

Why is this myth so enduring? Heather Schumaker told readers of “The Phoenix Through the Ages” it’s widespread popularity is due to a collective ‘hope for rebirth’: a sentiment well-suited as a motivator for selecting a white cremation urn in which to safe-keep the ashes of a loved one.

Cardinal Cremation Urn, Symbol of Strength and Faith

June 26, 2015 urngarden.com

It’s not unusual to look for signs from a loved one after he or she dies. These symbols not only bring a feeling of hope, but a sense of peace and renewal. It’s a popular notion that cardinals are often seen as messengers from our loved ones. Just their presence symbolizes a myriad of ideals, thoughts and feelings.

The cardinal cremation urn was inspired by this bright little bird. Hand painted crimson feathers on a glossy snow white vase, our little bird is perched on a branch with blooming dogwood flowers, which also have spiritual connotations combine to make a the perfect memorial for your loved one. While this one is a full size adult style, a matching mini urn is also available to store smaller portions of cremated ash.

There are a couple of sculpture style keepsake urns also for family members that want a small remembrance.

cardinal keepsake urn for ashes — Cardinal Keepsake Urn for Ashes

A cardinal’s bright red markings and authoritative call are only a few of its strong attributes.

Cardinal Characteristics

To learn about the message a cardinal delivers, you need to first understand more about the messenger itself:

Color: One of the obvious qualities of a cardinal is its red color, which symbolizes faith, power, importance and vitality. This reminds us that we are an important component in the circle of life. For Christians, red symbolizes the “blood of Christ,” as well as the hope we received from His resurrection. In the Catholic church, the cardinal red color is worn by the highest priests of the same name.
Sounds: Albeit loud, a cardinal’s song or call is crisp and precise, making sure its message is clear. Female and male cardinals sing together and seem to communicate well with each other.
Mating and parenting: A cardinal’s mating and parenting characteristics are symbolic of the dedication and duty they show toward their mates and offspring. Unlike many in the animal kingdom, cardinals are largely monogamous and mate for life.
Health: Finally, a cardinal’s health symbolizes its strength, vitality and self-preservation. This bird’s spirit shows us that we can find the strength within ourselves to win the fight.

A Sign From the Afterlife?

While this may be perceived from several different viewpoints, some believe cardinals are sent here with messages from our loved ones who have died, wherever they may be. Each message is personal and unique, and can typically only understood by the receiver. A red cardinal is said to provide a safe avenue into the realm of personal power and perseverance, two strengths often sought after when a loved one passes away.

If cardinals aren’t your style, we can help you create a beautiful presentation at the funeral or memorial service with an alternate choice that is more representative of your style. Shop the site to see all the choices or call for help.